The Phil Silvers Show (TV Series 1955–1959) - IMDb IMDb There was an error trying to load your rating for this title. Some parts of this page won't work property. Please reload or try later. X Beta I'm Watching This! Keep track of everything you watch; tell your friends. Error Sgt. Ernie Bilko is the ultimate con man. He runs the motor pool at a small Kansas US Army Camp. Colonel Hall, nominally in charge of the base tries to keep Bilko's plans in check. Bilko ... See full summary » Creator: Colonel Hall is attempting to set a new Army record for inducting new recruits. Unfortunately he also inducts a chimpanzee then has to convene a court martial to discharge Private Harry Speakup. 9.2 It's Fort Baxter Day at the camp. It's tradition for the platoon to date each other's sisters. Doberman's sister is without a date. Bilko can't find anyone to date Duane's sister, that is until he ... 9.1 Bilko hears a recording made by a mystery singer & sets out to find out who the voice belongs to.

Doberman is the mystery singer & Bilko sets up an audition at a record company. Is Duane about to ... 9.0 a list of 30 titles created 03 Sep 2012 a list of 33 titles created 15 Oct 2014 a list of 26 titles created 18 May 2015 a list of 31 titles created 12 Jun 2015 a list of 30 titles created 4 months ago Title: The Phil Silvers Show (1955–1959) 8.6/10 Want to share IMDb's rating on your own site? Use the HTML below. You must be a registered user to use the IMDb rating plugin. Won 8 Primetime Emmys. Another 2 wins & 10 nominations. See more awards » Photos Sensitive teenager Dobie Gillis (yes, Dobie being his real given name) exasperates his grocer father Herbert T. Gillis and is the apple of Winnie Gillis' eye, she being his mother. Dobie ...

See full summary » Stars: Dwayne Hickman, Bob Denver, Frank Faylen Danny Williams, a successful nightclub singer, encounters a variety of difficult or amusing situations in trying to balance his career with his family: his outspoken wife Kathy, teenage ... See full summary » Stars: Danny Thomas, Rusty Hamer, Marjorie Lord The popular radio show comes to life in this hit sitcom about a wise family man, Jim Anderson, his common-sense wife Margaret and their children Betty, Bud and Kathy. Whenever the kids need... See full summary » Stars: Robert Young, Jane Wyatt, Billy Gray Widower Steve Douglas raises three sons with the help of his father-in-law, and is later aided by the boys' great-uncle. An adopted son, a stepdaughter, wives, and another generation of sons join the loving family in later seasons. Stars: Fred MacMurray, Stanley Livingston, Don Grady Bill Davis is a highly paid and successful engineer living in a large apartment in New York with his valet, Mr. Giles French . His life is suddenly changed when his niece, Buffy shows up. ...

See full summary » Stars: Brian Keith, Kathy Garver, Anissa Jones The adventures in the Florida Everglades of a game warden, Tom Wedloe, his wife Ellen, their son Mark, and Mark's tame bear Ben. Stars: Dennis Weaver, Clint Howard, Beth Brickell Top Cat is the leader of a group of alley cats, always trying to cheat someone. Stars: Leo DeLyon, Allen Jenkins, Arnold Stang A nouveau riche hillbilly family moves to Beverly Hills and shakes up the privileged society with their hayseed ways. Stars: Buddy Ebsen, Donna Douglas, Irene Ryan The misadventures of a wisecracking talking horse and his human owner. Stars: Allan Lane, Alan Young, Connie Hines The Man of Steel fights crime with help from his friends at the Daily Planet. Stars: George Reeves, Noel Neill, John Hamilton Seven men and women are stranded on an uncharted island following a torrential storm. Stars: Bob Denver, Alan Hale Jr., Jim Backus A bus driver and his sewer worker friend struggle to strike it rich while their wives look on with weary patience. Stars: Jackie Gleason, Art Carney, Audrey Meadows Edit Storyline Sgt.

Ernie Bilko is the ultimate con man. He runs the motor pool at a small Kansas US Army Camp. Colonel Hall, nominally in charge of the base tries to keep Bilko's plans in check. Bilko runs every money making scheme that he thinks he can pull off. Midnight cruises on Landing Craft, Tank Rides, Poker games, and an interesting deal with local service stations for spare parts for jeep tires. Written by John Vogel <jlvogel@comcast.net> 20 September 1955 (USA) See more » Also Known As: You'll Never Get Rich See more » Filming Locations: Did You Know? Trivia George Kennedy , who served in the US army, was a technical advisor for the show. He was also given a bit part playing an MP, the first acting role of his screen career. See more » Quotes MSgt. Ernest G. Bilko : You said "but". I've put the finger on the whole problem. You're a "but" man. Don't say "but". That little word "but" is the difference between success and failure.

(stockton - on tees, England.) – See all my reviews As time goes on comedies come and go, some stand up to the test of time and some do not. Both the Brits and the Americans have made their share of funny shows: 'Fawlty Towers', 'Frasier', 'Cheers','The Office' etc, but if one show deserves to be the 'daddy' of all comedies then i think 'The Phil Silvers Show' is it! Just even thinking of Sgt Ernie Bilko makes me smile! Mr Silvers played this character to the max along with the rest of the cast. It still pops up from time to time on British t.v., usually at about 2 'o' clock in the morning or something! But if i'm still up and about i will always watch it, with a beer or two, and laugh my a*s off at the funniest comedy character ever created! 25 of 27 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you?

Yes Phil Silvers: the comedy genius who was Sergeant Bilko Phil Silvers: the comedy genius who was Sergeant Bilko Phil Silvers won three Emmys as Sgt Bilko Credit: Rex Features Martin Chilton , Culture Editor 11 May 2016 • 6:45pm Phil Silvers, who was born on May 11, 1911, was an award-winning theatre actor who is most famous for his brilliant comic role as Master Sergeant Ernest G Bilko. The Phil Silvers Show, later shortened to Sgt. Bilko, ran from 1955 to 1959 for 142 episodes, plus a 1959 special, and was named in a 21st-century poll by Radio Times as "the best ever comedy". Here are 20 things you might not know about Silvers and his character Bilko.

1: As a young boy he saw a gangster murdered Phil Silvers, who grew up in Brooklyn as the youngest of eight children of Russian immigrants, witnessed a murder when he was eight, when a petty criminal called Little Doggie (given that name because he would crawl around on his hands and knees and bite people) was shot dead while Silvers was singing at a party. Silvers quipped: "Will I get still get paid?" 2: He was a born hustler The comedian, who was born Philip Silversmith, was earning a living aged 11 as a "breakdown singer" at a Brooklyn cinema house, entertaining the audience when the projector failed. 3: But he became a gambling addict "As a small boy I wanted to grow up to become a man who could fix horse races or second-deal himself four aces in a poker game,' Silvers said. Betting played a part in his personal life. He was married and divorced twice, to Jo-Carroll Dennison (1945-1950) and Evelyn Patrick (1956-1966).

Dennison, a former Miss America, said Silvers was a betting addict: "We never lived expensively, or travelled, because he gambled everything away." In 1968, Silvers was a Los Angeles federal court witness in the trial of five men accused of conspiring to cheat him and other Friars Club members in rigged card games. Silvers admitted he had lost thousands of dollars and said: "Gambling just engulfed me. I just gambled to gamble. I've been gambling all my life." 4: He had an eye-opening teenage life As a teenager he worked in a burlesque club, where he said his salary "was $15 a week and all I could see." A friend from those days, Herbie Faye, turned up in Sgt. Bilko as Private Sam Fender. Phil Silvers, Paul Ford and Diana Dors in Sgt. Bilko Credit: Rex Features 5: Silvers refused to be in the show if it was all-white Sgt. Bilko was ahead of its time in portraying racial integration on prime-time American TV. Silvers's daughter Cathy recalled: "The producers told dad it would be an all-white cast.

Dad said, 'Fine, then I won't be doing the show.' At that time the armed forces had loads of black guys and dad knew it wouldn't be realistic to do it without that." Daughter Cathy, one of five children he had, played teenager Jenny Piccalo on Happy Days, and Silvers made a guest appearance on the show, appearing alongside Henry Winkler's The Fonz. 6: Bilko marked the start of Alan Alda's career Bilko launched the career of Alan Alda. Silvers knew Alda's dad from his burlesque days. Alda, who starred in a 1956 episode called The Art Lover, said: "He was a hilarious comedian. There are only a handful of people in the history of comedy who have created a distinct character and he did. Only one person could be WC Fields and only person could be Phil Silvers. He was a kind person and he tried to help me when I was starting out." 7: President Kennedy was his phone friend Silvers performed at the White House for President Eisenhower and John F Kennedy would sometimes phone him at home. "JFK loved Dad and we’d get these calls to the house," said Cathy.

"Kennedy would be lying on the floor because of his bad back and would say, 'Phil, I’m in pain,' and so Dad would launch into some comedic routine and crack up the President." Phil Silvers meets The Fonz Credit: Rex Features 8: Larry David is a big fan Among Silvers's fans are Steve Martin (who played him in a remake), Woody Allen, songwriter Randy Newman and the late Mastermind host Magnus Magnusson. Seinfeld co-creator Larry David said: "When I was growing up, I loved the Sgt. Bilko show. He was doing what we are doing in a way – doing these guys who were saying and doing what nobody else would, being unlikeable and imperceptive." 9: He warned Robin Williams about celebrity Cathy recalled: "He told Robin Williams, 'Treat acting as a business and don’t let it go to your head.' Then Dad cried and said, 'You don’t want to end up like my friends', because some of them, including Marilyn Monroe and Judy Garland, had died tragically." 10: He was a born ad-libber Sgt. Bilko was full of unscripted jokes that came from Silvers.

In the episode called The Court Martial, a rollerskating chimpanzee is accidentally inducted into the army and Bilko has to defend him in court. When the bored (trained) animal wandered from his position on the witness box and picked up a phone, Silvers quipped: "Just a minute, I think he’s calling for another lawyer." 11: Silvers was proud of his theatre career... Although the TV show won him three consecutive Emmys, he was especially proud of his theatre career. He won a Tony Award for Top Banana in 1951 and again for the 1972 Broadway musical A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. 12: ...but not so much about his Hollywood career He also appeared in numerous films, including Tom, Dick and Harry, 40 Pounds of Trouble, It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad, World and Follow That Camel (with the Carry On gang including Kenneth Williams).

Silvers thought his movie years were wasted, saying: "When I did work in pictures, I always was Blinky, the hero's good friend, who told the girl, usually Betty Gable, in the last reel that he (the hero) really loves her." Silvers was also a good dancer, strutting his stuff with Gene Kelly and Rita Heyworth in the 1944 film Cover Girl. Phil Silvers, Rita Heyworth and Gene Kelly in the 1944 film Cover Girl Credit: Rex Features 13: Frank Sinatra refused to speak to him for 16 years The pair had initially been friends. Phil Silvers had written the lyrics to a 1942 song called Bessie... with the Laughing Face. When they sang it at a birthday party for Nancy Sinatra and changed the lyrics to Nancy, the singer thought it was a song written especially for his daughter and recorded the song. Silvers and Sinatra then went on a 1945 United Service Organisations (USO) tour in the Mediterranean.

But when CBS programmed The Phil Silvers Show opposite ABC’s The Frank Sinatra Show, Sinatra was enraged and rang the comedian shouting, “You had to go Fridays, huh?” Sinatra reportedly stopped speaking to Silvers for 16 years. 14: He enjoyed surreal humour Bilko would scam and con his way through a variety of get-rich-quick schemes, with poor old Sgt Ritzik, the cook, always at hand to lose his wages to Bilko. One of Silvers's favouite episodes was when his character rents a shop space then tells his army colleagues that he has no plans to do anything with it (which is the truth). But because they all suspect he must be up to something that will make money, he's soon offered huge bribes to join in the scheme. 15: There is a Phil Silvers Museum in Coventry A museum dedicated to Silvers was opened by Steve Everitt, who calls himself "an adopted son" of the star. Top Cat was inspired by Sergeant Bilko, with his sidekick Benny the Ball based on Doberman and voiced by Maurice Gosfield Credit: Rex Features 16: Silvers loved England anyway "He loved Camber Sands, you know.

He visited in 1967. He said Britain was 'so small and ethnic and perfectly manicured,'" said museum owner Everitt. Silvers also described himself as "an incurable Anglophile" and called London "his favourite city". He said he grew up admiring Charlie Chaplin and the vaudeville of Will Hay, with whom he later became friends. Kenneth Williams and Phil Silvers in Follow That Camel. In his diaries, Williams remarked that the comedian was 'pompous' Credit: Rex Features 17: He knew how to flatter women, on screen and off As well as Judy Garland and Marilyn Monroe, he was also close friends with Audrey Hepburn. Women liked his humour and jokey flattery. In the show, he would use this to manipulate his commander. When Colonel Hall comes in with his wife, Bilko says: "Why Colonel, sir, you never mentioned any movie stars were visiting the base today!” 18: Doberman was the real ladies' man A lot of the comic interplay on Bilko was about his relationship with the odd-looking Private Doberman.

When he was interviewed on the Michael Parkinson show in 1974, Silvers said: "Nat Hiken, the show's creator, was a comedy genius and at an open call he looked at the men trying to play Duane Doberman and fell in love with actor Maurice Gosfield. Maurice didn't know what he was. He thought he was Cary Grant playing the part of a fat fellow. But ladies loved him... some women dig distortion. I was at home in a bathrobe rehearsing, Maurice was out partying." Phil Silvers and Maurice Gosfield, who played Doberman Credit: Rex Features 19: Bilko was a DC Comics hero There was a DC Comics Sgt. Bilko comic book. It lasted 16 issues (with a further 11 about Doberman), many drawn by superhero comic artist Bon Oksner. The DC Comics tribute to Sgt. Bilko 20: And he inspired Top Cat Top Cat was a parody of The Phil Silvers Show, with Arnold Stang imitating Sgt Bilko's voice for the main character. Benny the Ball was voiced by Maurice Gosfield, who played Doberman, and drawn to look like a short, fat, cat version.

Silvers died aged 74 on November 1, 1985. 1 18 Dec 2016, 9:00pm Premium 18 Dec 2016, 5:33pm "Happiness Wasn't in the Script Behind His Sgt. Bilko Character on TV Was the Agony of Phil Silvers" by Robert Chalmers London Observer Service - St Louis Post-Dispatch (MO), April 2, 1996 | Online Research Library: Questia Read preview Article excerpt YOU WILL NOT find his name on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, which celebrates the dramatic talent of other stars including Tonto, the Three Stooges and Yakima Canutt, second unit director on "Ben Hur." "We made an application," said Phil Silvers' daughter Nancey, "but my dad was turned down. They have accepted cartoon characters," she added. "They have accepted dogs." We met in the lounge of the Beverly Hills Hotel, Phil Silvers' old lunch venue of choice. A few days later, the 10th anniversary of his death would pass uncommemorated on either side of the Atlantic.

His greatest creation, the role of Sgt. Bilko in "The Phil Silvers Show," had been all but forgotten until Nick at Nite resurrected it with a marathon last week, coinciding with the release of the new movie "Bilko." In his own country, popular awareness of Silvers has faded sufficiently for Steve Martin to re-create the part in "Bilko," in the well-founded expectation that many viewers will be unaware of the character's history. For its brief life, between 1955 and 1959, "The Phil Silvers Show" achieved a level of sustained inspiration that has never been bettered in television comedy. Silvers reveled in the brazen implausibility of his lines: whether visiting a medium ("There are no lights on - she must be in") or flattering a local cook with a view to stealing his secret recipe ("All my life I have eaten in the finest restaurants of the world. I thought I was eating. I realize now I was merely grazing, like an animal"). Silvers was born in Brooklyn in 1911, the eighth child of Russian immigrants. At 12, he was touring in vaudeville.

A precocious star on Broadway, he had moved to Hollywood before he was 30, under contract to Louis B. Meyer. Once there, it was some time before he was cast: directors' enthusiasm seemed to wane after they saw Silvers' screen test, in which he played the Rev. Collins from "Pride and Prejudice." "I have never forgotten the lines," he said later. "They are burned on the lining of my brain. `Please forgive this outboist of passion.' I was asked to be `British in a very subtle manner.' I had fire flashing from my eyeballs." A New York Jew, Silvers was an unusual choice as an English rural vicar, especially as his off-screen interests - the racetrack, the ball park and the pinochle table - tended toward the secular. The gambling had begun at school; by the time he was 15, Silvers was regularly hailed by the voice that tormented Sgt. Bilko. "I hear money," Bilko tells his men. "Our money. Crying out into the night: `Daddy.

Take us home.' " Unoccupied thanks to his screen test, Silvers became a popular emcee for parties hosted by friends such as Gene Kelly and Frank Sinatra, and acquired a reputation for his brilliant improvisations as a songwriter and comic. Gradually, he began to get parts in musicals such as "Coney Island" and "Diamond Horseshoe." Silvers' most famous single number in a Hollywood musical is the opening song from the 1950 Gene Kelly movie "Cover Girl": "Who's Complaining? I'm Not Complaining" - the kind of observation that, even then, was not commonly heard from Silvers off-set. "He never talked about his feelings," says Jo-Carroll Dennison, a former Miss America, who became Silvers's first wife in 1945. "Big men don't. But he used to get terribly cotton-mouthed before he went on. It made me nervous to watch him. There was never enough applause. There was never enough laughter." Marriage, somebody once said, can cause trouble for a gambler.

In the late 1940s, Silvers was making $5,500 a week; a sum that, the actor later admitted, "slipped into the bookies' hands as if it was magnetized." After five years, Dennison called it quits. "When we got divorced, he'd lost it all," she told me. "We never lived expensively, or traveled, because he gambled everything away." Contemporaries recalled Silvers offering them bets on the weather, the make of the next car around the corner, and the orders of fellow diners in a restaurant. … Subscribe to Questia and enjoy: Full access to this article and over 10 million more from academic journals, magazines, and newspapers Over 83,000 books Access to powerful writing and research tools Article details Newspapers Encyclopedia The Museum of Broadcast Communications - Encyclopedia of Television - Phil Silvers Show, The THE PHIL SILVERS SHOW U.S. Situation Comedy The Phil Silvers Show, a half-hour comedy series, first ran on CBS from September 1955 to September 1959. The show's original title was You'll Never Get Rich, but this name was dropped shortly after its debut.

Since its inception the series has also been commonly referred to as "Sergeant Bilko." The program's 138 episodes trace the minor victories and misfortunes of the scheming, fast-talking Master Sergeant Ernie Bilko (Phil Silvers), head of the motor pool at the mythical U.S. army station of Fort Baxter in Roseville, Kansas. In his relentless pursuit of personal gain and physical comfort, Bilko attempts to manipulate those around him through the selective use of flattery, false na�vet�, pulling rank, and a canny ability to identify and stimulate desires, weaknesses and emotions in others. Although his reputation for masterful chicanery is well known around the base, the other characters in the show prove no match for Bilko's complex mental designs and are ultimately unable to avoid following the course of action he desires. In his attempts to buck the system, Bilko is aided by his platoon-members: a motley collection of blue collar, "ethnic" Americans whose own distaste for military discipline is displayed through their visible admiration for their brilliant leader. Aside from money and favors won in poker games and elaborate rackets, however, Bilko never benefits at the expense of others.

Faced with innocent victims, the Sergeant's conscience kicks in and he expends every mental resource to resolve the problem. Bilko's one redeeming moral quality, therefore, is his heart of gold, which prevents him both from truly prospering or losing his humanity. Frequently, unforeseen obstacles to Bilko's strategies arise out of a misunderstanding between the principal characters. Much of the program's humor derives from Bilko's incomplete knowledge of a situation--the audience watches as he unwittingly makes matters worse for himself, before realizing his error and having to employ his quick thinking in order to make amends. Sharp dialogue and tightly woven plot lines (involving absurd, but believable, situations), combined with a heavy emphasis on visual comedy, made The Phil Silvers Show one of the most popular and critically-acclaimed sitcoms of the 1950s. The series developed as a collaboration between Silvers, a Brooklyn-born veteran of vaudeville, Broadway, and motion pictures, and Nat Hiken, the show's unassuming head writer, producer, and stage director. Hiken had already earned a reputation for superb radio and TV comedy writing for such celebrities as Fred Allen and Martha Raye.

Silvers and Hiken were given tremendous creative license by CBS to devise and cast the show. The two creators experimented with numerous settings and narrative structures before deciding on a military location, a Bilko-centered narrative trajectory, and a colorful coterie of supporting characters. In the spring of 1955, filming began at the DuMont studios in New York. CBS confidence in the production was such that twenty episodes were in the can prior to the show's broadcast debut in the fall. The network's magnanimity is understandable given that Bilko neatly fit the successful formula upon which CBS had built its television reputation: a half-hour situation comedy series written as a vehicle for an established performer. The Phil Silvers Show was initially recorded live on film using a three camera set-up. Post-production was minimal, giving the final program a spontaneous, no-frills appeal despite its celluloid status. As the series developed, the storylines often incorporated outside characters who were portrayed by guest celebrities. Mike Todd appeared in one 1958 episode, insisting that it be shot using a movie-style, one camera production process. Cast and crew found appealing the more relaxed shooting schedule this engendered, and the show subsequently adopted this filming technique permanently.

This meant that the scenes would be shot throughout the week and later edited together in order. Consequently, the studio audience disappeared, requiring the recording of a laughtrack at a weekly screening of the final program. Despite being scheduled against NBC's Tuesday night powerhouse Milton Berle, The Phil Silvers Show quickly attracted viewers and passed Berle in the ratings within a few months. The show's popularity was matched by great critical acclaim. Along with a bevy of other awards, the series won five Emmies in its first season on the air, and more were to follow over the next couple of years. Nevertheless, the drain of weekly programming eventually began to take its toll. Hiken's total commitment to the show proved physically and creatively exhausting and he left the series in 1957 to pursue less hectic projects. By the spring of 1959, when CBS announced its forthcoming cancellation of the series, Silvers too was complaining of fatigue induced by the show's grueling routine. Bending under the weight of the twenty-two cast members' salaries, CBS canceled the still popular series in order to maximize its syndication price and potential.

The Phil Silvers Show Following Sergeant Bilko, Hiken and Silvers collaborated on several hour-long musical specials for CBS at the end of the 1950s. While the actor then returned to the stage and big screen, Hiken achieved another TV comedy hit with Car 54, Where Are You? In 1963, attracted by a lucrative financial offer from CBS, Silvers attempted to recapture his earlier television success with The New Phil Silvers Show. This series transferred the Bilko scenario to a civilian setting: Silvers played Harry Grafton, a crafty, wheeling-dealing maintenance superintendent at an industrial plant. Grafton lacked Bilko's magical presence and any of his redeeming values; the series floundered in the ratings and was canceled in its first season. The Bilko formula was more successfully reinvoked in the early 1960s in the form of the ABC cartoon Top Cat. This prime time animation featured the voice of Maurice Gosfield--who had played the slothful audience favorite Duane Doberman in The Phil Silvers Show--as Benny the Ball.

"Sergeant Bilko" has proven instrumental in inspiring a whole genre of male-dominated, uniformed, non-domestic sitcoms over the decades since its original broadcast. Such series as McHale's Navy, Hennesey, M*A*S*H, and At Ease (a banal, short-lived Eighties' imitation), to name only few, have clearly attempted to emulate its successful blend of distinctive, engaging characters and first-class writing. A 1996 movie, Sergeant Bilko, starred Steve Martin in the title role. -Matthew Murray CAST Master Sergeant Ernie Bilko ..........................Phil Silvers Corporal Rocco Barbella....................... Harvey Lembeck Private Sam Fender.................................... Herbie Faye Colonel John Hall........................................... Paul Ford Private Duane Doberman...................... Maurice Gosfleld Sergeant Rupert Ritzik................................ Joe E. Ross Corporal Henshaw....................................... Allan Melvin Private Dino Paparelli................................... Billy Sands Private Zimmerman ..............................Mickey Freeman Nell Hall............................................... Hope Sansberry Sergeant Grover......................................... Jimmy Little Sergeant Joan Hogan (1956-1958)......... Elisabeth Fraser PRODUCERRS Edward J.

Montagne, Aaron Ruben, Nat Hiken PROGRAMMING HISTORY 138 Episodes Sgt. Bilko Reviews & Ratings - IMDb IMDb 45 out of 57 people found the following review useful: Don't look at the votes rating from Sydney, Australia 1 October 2001 This is actually a very funny movie, one of Steve's funniest movies - up there with Father of the Bride. All the characters, Dan Akroyd, Phil Hartman, even an appearance by Chris Rock make this an extremely enjoyable movie. The Hover Tank was hands down the funniest part. Steve is full of laughs in this movie and acts out the character of Sergeant Bilko superbly. I have watched this movie at least four times and I was still laughing all the way through. This is in fact one of my all time favourite comedies. I have never seen the original and perhaps my judgement of this movie is therefore altered. Yet if you have never seen or even heard of the original and you like Steve's work then you will surely like this. Don't look at the votes rating I'll give this 8/10. Was the above review useful to you?

31 out of 43 people found the following review useful: One of the best comedies ever from Russian Federation 9 November 2006 I also cant believe the movie is so poorly rated. Whats wrong? So many toilette-humour-pictures got much better rating. And this movie which is really full of fine humour is rated so bad. Steve Martin is awesome here as well as all other actors. The movie IS funny, the situations are funny, the plot deserves to be rewarded. It's one of my all time favorites - i do laugh every time i watch it. Bilko is an incredibly charming foxy Sgt. For me it's one of Steve Martin's best roles. I cant but smile seeing his every face expression, gesture or action. Just super! And all the actors were at their best. Just on their places. I rate it "excellent" Was the above review useful to you? 24 out of 30 people found the following review useful: Funny! from Iowa City, IA 5 August 1999 This movie was under-appreciated in its theatrical release. In fact, it's a rarity these days.....a lightweight comedy that doesn't insult your intelligence.

Some critics carped because it wasn't like the classic TV show, but it would have been hard (and foolish) to try and duplicate the genius of Phil Silvers. Steve Martin does a fine job of putting his own unique stamp on the character of Ernie Bilko and he's surrounded by a good supporting cast with many familiar faces. The story isn't the most intricately plotted in the world, but it doesn't have to be. The gags and one-liners come fast and furious and there are plenty of laughs. A pleasant comedy that's good for all ages. Was the above review useful to you? 16 out of 20 people found the following review useful: Very funny movie for people who possess a sense of humor from United States 4 March 2009 Seems to me like most of the negative votes come from fans of the original show. I am glad I never saw it, because I think this is one of the funniest movies I have ever seen. I love Bilko's character. Martin plays a charismatic, scheming yet kind hearted con artist. I love his comic timing in this movie. It's definitely my favorite Steve Martin role.

I think part of the reason I like Martin, is for the same reason I like characters like Bugs Bunny. He always comes out on top, and is usually in complete control of a situation. I love that type of role - who does not want to be more like a Sgt Bilko? I thought almost every scene was funny. I liked pretty much every actor in it. It's not for serious people. I sometimes wonder why serious people bother to rate comedies at all - some people were born with no sense of humor, from what I can tell. For those people who dislike (or are bored of) put down humor, sex humor, or gross out humor, this is none of those (Not that I don't mind some of that, but a change of pace is always welcome.) It's a politer, lighter, silly humor almost cartoonish, in a good way. I have seen this movie at least three times, and still laugh at it. So if you are not a fan of the TV show, I think you will like this in spite of the shockingly low review of this movie. Was the above review useful to you?

15 out of 21 people found the following review useful: Without much of a story yet countless hilarious moments from Australia 17 January 2005 Sgt Bilko delivers countless laughs, mostly from Steve Martin, Dan Akroyd and Phil Hartman. The rest of the cast are a joke. There are so many gags, slapstick, and one-liners you have to enjoy it. There is no strong story line which is unfortunate, but Bilko gets away with it. The constant parody of the united states army is much more relaxed than the Korean setting of MASH. Do not watch this film with any predispositions or expectations of what you are going to see, and you will enjoy it so much more. I recommend it to anyone who just wants a quick two hour getaway from reality, and a chance to let yourself go and have some fun. Was the above review useful to you? 16 out of 24 people found the following review useful: Very Funny Movie from Pennsylvania 10 July 2001 I thought that this movie was very funny, though somewhat on the pointless side.

Good choice of actors, and the music was fairly good, and i'm not sure why i didn't hear about it until last year. The acting was exceptional, and the plot also exceptional, and i say that overall i think that it was a good movie, worthy of being watched more then once. Was the above review useful to you? 11 out of 16 people found the following review useful: Refreshing new spin on an old favorite. from .: Fiendish Writings in the Dark :. 28 November 2003 *** This review may contain spoilers *** As a movie based on a popular TV series, this movie is nothing like the series. Phil Silvers played Bilko as a master con artist; the one man who could con a con. Martin plays Bilko as an underhanded brown nose who has some deceitful ideas, a good bead on making an extra buck, and an even edge on the con game. I thoroughly enjoy this rendition of an old favorite. I loved this movie because Martin did not come along and attempt to imitate Silvers' style. He played it straight from the vest, as himself.

If you aren't a Martin fan, but instead, a fan of the TV series, you probably won't find the humor in this endeavor. But if you are a Martin fan, sit back and enjoy. I loved this movie, even though I loved the original series, but I'm a huge fan of Martin's work since his earlier days in stand-up. "It is my understanding you can no longer ask me these questions, sir." Chris Rock, Dan Aykroyd, Phil Hartman, and Glenne Headley also star. This production was quality work by all involved, and a fun way to spend 90 minutes. I was thoroughly entertained. It rates an 8.2/10.0 from... the Fiend :. from United States 4 March 2003 Yeah, I'm old enough to remember the TV show, and the Bilko character that endeared itself to TV fans, shines through one of the best comedians of this generation. Nicely done, Steve! The plot? I read some comments criticizing the plot! Huh? This is COMEDY....it's meant to be fun, and in this case, to reminisce a bit.

That's all this movie set out to do, and it accomplished it. 10 ! Was the above review useful to you? 15 out of 26 people found the following review useful: Comedy that's both funny and likeable. from Suffolk, Virginia 24 January 1999 Finally, a movie that really has "comedy" stamped all over it! SGT. BILKO is one of the better comedy films I've seen, thanks to veteran Steve Martin who provided every bit of sense in his humor and personality. A tank that flies above ground level! How innovative! Although the same substances are present like other modern-day comedies, it embraces a more likeable feeling. That means you won't have to put up with disgrace over excessive flatulence discovered in thousands of other movies in the genre. Only on occasion does this matter exist, and we all know Hollywood can't help it these days. But it's better than some, right? Was the above review useful to you?

4 out of 5 people found the following review useful: Very funny show 29 June 2009 *** This review may contain spoilers *** I missed this when it came out, and just caught it after one of those free weekends for premium channels. As a long-time fan of Phil Silvers' fabulous series of the 1950s, I was skeptical about this movie, although I usually like Steve Martin's films--especially Planes, Trains, and Automobiles. I thought it was quite true to the spirit of the TV show. I was pleased that it was PG and not full of foul language and other things not fit for children. They didn't try to duplicate everything in the original, merely to present a similar group of characters, with the same names. The plot was not unlike one in the series, but was not a remake of any episode from the series. They had some lines that sounded like they could have come from the series. They had a way to signal "brass coming" so Bilko's men could quickly put away all their gambling devices and make the motor pool look like one--just as the series did, only more elaborate. Col.

Hall in the film, just like on TV, acknowledged that Bilko knew more about what was going on, and, in effect, ran the post. Other reviewers have detailed the plot. One highlight for me was the clever way Bilko arranged for his adversary to give himself away after ruining the test of the hover tank, not knowing the machine was not going to work in the first place. That was thinking like the Phil Silvers' version would have done. I agree that Silvers, and Nat Hiken, would be proud that their series was re-created as a feature film 40 years later. It wasn't the funniest movie ever, but it was surely no worse than a "very funny" film. Was the above review useful to you? Page 1 of 8: Sgt. Bilko: The Phil Silvers Show - 50th Anniversary Edition | DVD Review | Film @ The Digital Fix Sgt.

Bilko: The Phil Silvers Show - 50th Anniversary Edition By Noel Megahey Noel Megahey Film Extras Extras Commentary by Allan Melvin, Lost Audition Show, The Ed Sullivan Show Clip, Phil Silvers and Jack Benny on �The Dick Cavett Show�, Nick at Nite with Steve Martin, Dan Ackroyd and Phil Hartman, Commentary by George Kennedy, Commentary by Mickey Freeman and Larry Storch, Original Network Opening, Original Commercials, Gag Still Photo, Tony Randall and Jack Klugman tribute, Commentary by Dick Van Dyke, Commentary by Mickey Freeman and Larry Storch, 1957 Emmy Awards, Phil Silvers on Broadway, 1959 Pontiac Commercial, New Phil Silvers Show Promo, Final TV Interview with Sonny Fox, The Bilko Growl, Photo Gallery Soundtracks English Dolby Digital 2.0 mono Subtitles English for Hard of Hearing, English subtitles on all extras. Paramount present a 3-DVD set of one of the funniest television series ever made from the classic era of 1950�s American situation comedy, starring Phil Silvers as Sgt. Bilko.

Running for four and a half years during the heyday of American sitcoms in the 1950s, Nat Hiken�s creation of Sgt Bilko was the perfect vehicle for the comedian Phil Silvers. With a comedy talent honed in live Vaudeville shows alongside the masters Jack Benny and George Burns, Silvers made the transition from stage to television with remarkable ease and facility. The discipline of honing a character and keeping the same comedy routines seem fresh and spontaneous over multiple performances is undoubtedly one of the reasons why Phil Silvers was able to so successfully keep the character of Sgt. Bilko fresh over the four and a half years, since the character is not a complex one. Bilko is a sergeant in the US Army - a finagler, a shark, a charmer - but not a con-man - his one ambition is to hit on a big money making scheme that will make him his fortune, but as the master sergeant of the motor pool on Fort Baxter in Kansas, his talents are limited to organising illegal poker games, bets and dances for the personnel on the camp, particularly fleecing the willing victims in his own unit, Company B. But the sharp eye of Sgt.

Bilko is always on the look-out for opportunities that come his way, whether it is for a quick buck or a major investment. The show was originally going to be called �You�ll Never Get Rich�, a title that sums up its intent quite clearly. It�s a very limited situation, but as many subsequent shows based on a similar premise prove � from Only Fools and Horses to Top Cat (an animation show that is basically a carbon copy tribute to the Bilko show) � it�s a masterful creation of almost unlimited potential in the hands of a master performer and script-writer. The character types and their characteristics are defined from the very first show �New Recruits, and they wouldn�t vary a great deal in the subsequent four years. The show moreover would only very rarely in later episodes break out of the confines of Fort Baxter with its very basic sets � and when it did it was never with as much success as when it relied on the familiar surroundings of the Fort Baxter army camp locations.

The scripts therefore had to be constantly inventive in order to meet the challenge of the limited situation and format, and they always rose to the challenge only seeming to get better as the show went on, bringing in guest appearances from up-and-coming talents who would go on to become major stars in their own right. Fred Gwynne, George Kennedy, Dick Van Dyke, Alan Alda and many others all got their big break through walk-on parts on the Phil Silvers Show, as did Neil Simon who also worked as a scriptwriter on the show. It�s that combination of strong scripts, an outstanding and charismatic central performance and a supporting cast full of strong characters that kept the show going from strength to strength. Every show was worked on over a weekly schedule. The script and routines were rehearsed from Monday to Wednesday, given a dry run on a Thursday and recorded in front of a live audience on a Friday, pretty much �live� using two or three cameras. The discipline and professionalism with which the show is approached is evident in every performance, the consistently funny scripts honed down to perfection, every one-liner calculated and nuanced and delivered with immaculate timing by one of comedy's greatest talents. DVD Sgt.

Bilko is released in the UK by Paramount as a 3-DVD set. The DVD is in PAL format and is encoded for Region 2. The three discs contain a selection of only eighteen 25-minute episodes from the full 147 episode run of the show. Inevitably, many classic and favourite episodes will not be present here - personally I miss the Grover and Ritzik UFO episode �Bilko and the Flying Saucers� and the Bilko�s lucky day episode. I have therefore included a brief description of each episode on the set, so that you will know what the set does contain. Each of the episodes here contains a short audio introduction by Allan Melvin (Cpl. Henshaw). It must be hoped that Paramount will eventually release the complete seasons of the show at a future point. Episodes New Recruits Having lost all his money in a marathon poker game with the other master sergeants, Bilko needs another bankroll to win back his losses, but his platoon are wary and weary of his fund-raising activities. Fortunately Bilko has just been assigned a whole new squad of fresh, eager new recruits.

It�s like lambs to the slaughter� The WAC Tired of having to walk around everywhere, Bilko volunteers for a new post with PTP (personal transport provided), making sure that none of the other sergeants applies. But who is this new Sgt. Hogan on the camp who is always one step ahead of him? Has Bilko finally met his match? The Horse Not only has Bilko lost nearly all the platoon�s money on the horses, he�s used what was left to actually buy the losing horse, Bellboy. Bilko however has insider knowledge and is sure he can restore the horse back to prize-winning form. But how do you house, feed and train a horse on an army camp? The Eating Contest Bilko thinks he�s onto a sure-fire scheme to make money in an eating contest when the legendary Ed �The Stomach� Honergan (Fred Gwynne) joins Company B, but since Ed has gotten over the girlfriend who dumped him, his days of heavy comfort eating are over.

Bilko has to find a way of making him miserable again� Bivouac It�s bivouac time again, which means its time for Bilko�s annual visit to the hospital to report his latest illness, and take part in the traditionally big poker game with all the other �sick� master sergeants. But Colonel JT Hall is ready for Bilko this year and has employed a bright new medical officer, Capt. Curtis. Not for the first time, Col. Hall�s optimism proves unfounded. The Twitch Not for the first time (or the last time), Col. Hall is intent on cracking down on gambling on the camp, which is reaching epidemic proportions. A new entertainment�s officer is brought in to divert the men�s activities, but how is Bilko going to get the men interested in lectures on Beethoven and Stravinsky, and more importantly, how can he make money out of it? Mrs Whitney�s unusual delivery presents Bilko with an opportunity. The Investigation Congress have ordered an investigation into the waste and extravagance on military bases, and a committee is sent out to a small base in Kansas to identify what cuts can be made.

With Bilko as guide however, the committee are more likely to recommend a raise for the troops. The Revolutionary War Bilko receives a package from his aunt containing mementos of a famous ancestor � Major Joshua Bilko � who fought in the Revolutionary War and even crossed the Delaware with George Washington. Bilko decides it is time to change his ways and live up to a proud family heritage, but the Major�s diary reveals that he�s been truer to the family tradition than he realises. The Court Martial Fort Baxter us the testing centre for a new army initiative to make the induction process more efficient by eliminating red-tape. Unfortunately, the process allows a chimpanzee to enlist with flying colours. There�s only one way to save the army�s embarrassment � the chimp must face a court-martial, and Bilko has been appointed counsel for the defence. An out-an-out classic episode. The Con Men Private Duane Doberman receives an insurance payment of $500 and loses it all on a poker game. He�s lost it all not to Bilko as might be expected, but to a group of card sharps operating in town. Bilko intends to teach them a lesson with the famous �Bilko Shuffle�.

A Mess Sergeant Can�t Win Tired of being the gullible victim to Bilko�s endless schemes Mess Sgt. Ritzik decides to leave the army. Feeling somewhat guilty, Bilko attempts to pay him back all the money he has taken from him over the years, but it�s not easy as it might seem to let Ritzik win anything. Another gem of an episode starring the hilarious Joe E. Ross as Ritzik and Beatrice Pons as his nagging wife Emma. Doberman�s Sister It�s open day at Fort Baxter and the GI�s families are all visiting, so Bilko wants to be sure that all his troops and their sisters are matched up for dates at the dance. But who is going to want to date Doberman�s sister? Employing reverse psychology and application of Mussleman�s Law � the uglier the brother, the more beautiful the sister � even Bilko starts to have doubts. Bilko�s Tax Trouble An administrative error in the Tax Office leads to Bilko�s affairs being investigated. Bilko has nothing to hide � �All the money I make in these dances I lose on the horses.

I�m a non-profit organisation� � but there�s an awful lot of paperwork and some memories to refresh for all his activities in the 1953 tax year. The Big Scandal To win a bet � what else � Bilko attempts to hypnotise Sgt. Ritzik into falling in love with the Colonel�s wife, but is unaware that he has put Doberman in a trance. Julie �Catwoman� Newmar makes a guest appearance here as the saucy maid Bilko used to correct the troubles he has caused in the Colonel�s love life. Hillbilly Whiz After the defeat of his baseball team by the WAC typists, Bilko is in danger of losing his with Grover and Ritzik. Fortunately a new recruit, Hank Lumpkin (Dick Van Dyke) proves to be a hotshot pitcher. Bilko has higher ambitions than the camp baseball league, but how can he convince the young hillbilly to try out for the Yankees. Bilko The Art Lover On two weeks� furlough, Bilko invites himself to the New York home of one of his former troops to collect an old debt.

It just so happens that Carlyle Thompson III (Alan Alda) is due to come into a million dollar inheritance, but wanting to be a sculptor he�s about to throw it away to live as a starving artist in a garret. Not when Bilko has had the scent of big money� Bilko Joins The Navy Bilko, Paparelli and Zimmerman are on a weekend pass in San Diego when they get wind of a major crap game in town. As it�s strictly for Navy personnel only, they borrow a few uniforms, but inevitably get into more trouble than they bargained for � a six month tour of duty on the SS Saratoga heading for Alaska. Weekend Colonel Colonel Hall has had cameras installed on the camp in order to keep an eye on Bilko�s activities. However when Bilko discovers the Colonel�s double working in a diner, he sees an opportunity to have a few orders rescinded while Col. Hall is off-base. Inevitably, the real Colonel returns to disastrous and hilarious effect. The last ever Bilko show gives the wonderful Paul Ford a chance to shine in the dual role of the womanising slob of diner cook Charlie.

Video Dating back to the 1950s, these are very old television shows, but the video quality is nonetheless exceptionally good. There doesn�t however appear to be any major restoration work done on the prints, but none is really required � the shows looking as good as they did the last time I saw them broadcast on television. There�s a minor amount of grain, a few specks of dust here and there, but the image is crisp and clear. The black and white image tends towards greyness, but there is reasonable variety and definition of tones. Audio Presented as Dolby Digital 2.0 mono, here is a little harshness in the audio track that would undoubtedly be down to the age and condition of the original source materials. Generally though the dialogue is quite clear and audible, with reasonable depth of tone and no background noise or distortion. Subtitles Regular English subtitles and English subtitles for the hearing impaired are provided in a clear, white font. Commentary tracks and extra features are all also subtitled in English. Extras Disc 1 Disc 1 contains an interesting variety of archive and new material to present a wide view of the series.

There is a Commentary by Allan Melvin for the very first Bilko episode � �New Recruits�, which is quite amiable, Melvin talking about how the show was rehearsed and filmed on a weekly basis, crediting Phil Silver�s comic timing and ability to improvise, and providing a few stories about how things operated at the studio where it was made. Melvin also provides brief audio introductions to each episode. Lost Audition Show (33:05) is a little treasure, a 16mm print of an early test recording of the first episode. It�s a little bit scratchy and the performances are not as polished as the actual show, but all the character traits are already clearly defined and there are a few extra jokes and lines that were cut from the tightened final show. The Ed Sullivan Show Clip (8:39) recreates part of the �Bivouac� episode and is introduced by Ed Sullivan. It was this performance on Ed Sullivan that launched the show into success. In Phil Silvers and Jack Benny on �The Dick Cavett Show� (6:20), an older Phil Silvers looks back on the shows success for a TV chat show. It�s not a substantial interview.

�Nick at Nite� (3:03) is an brief interview with Steve Martin, Dan Ackroyd and Phil Hartman, talking about being fans of the original show and their wrong-headed idea of reworking it for modern audiences. Disc 2 Slightly less substantial, there are nevertheless a few intriguing pieces of archive material among the extras for Disc 2. George Kennedy, who started out working behind the scenes on the Bilko show, delivers an interesting Commentary for �The Court Martial�, with a lot of information on the key players in the show�s success and how much he owed to the education he received working and eventually getting his first acting role on the show. There is another Commentary on �Doberman�s Sister by Mickey Freeman (Zimmerman) and Larry Storch, which provides good reminiscences on Phil Silvers and Nat Hiken. It�s not really a commentary on the episode, but a few more interviews along these lines would have been welcomed on the set. The Original Network Opening (0:23) and Original Commercials (1:51) show the cast on set advertising and extolling the virtues of smoking Camel cigarettes.

A Gag Still Photo, one clearly not used for publicity, has a brief commentary by Allan Melvin (0:11). Tony Randall and Jack Klugman (0:26), TV�s �Odd Couple�, give tribute to the Bilko show on a TV show. Disc 3 There are two further commentaries on the third disc. Dick Van Dyke�s Commentary on the show �Hillbilly Whiz�, recalls how this first TV comedy role changed his career and his life, as well as being an education working with a comedian like Phil Silvers. There is another Commentary by Mickey Freeman and Larry Storch on �Bilko Joins The Navy�, with a few gaps as Storch watches a performance he hasn�t seen in almost 50 years. Again though they provide some nice reminiscences and anecdotes about working on the show. Phil Silvers presents an award at the 1957 Emmy Awards (2:28) to the writing team on the Bilko show for the �Best Comedy Writing � Variety or Situation Comedy�.

Phil Silvers on Broadway (7:15) sees a slightly older Phil Silvers with some of the old cast performing a Bilko skit on the Broadway stage. There�s another TV endorsement here for a 1959 Pontiac Commercial (0:42). As factory foreman Harry Grafton, Phil Silvers does a routine presenting the CBS 1963 Fall Preview (3:21), as a promo of his New Phil Silvers Show. In his Final TV Interview with Sonny Fox (5:07) in 1985, Phil Silvers looks noticeably frail but lucidly and fondly reminisces on the Bilko show and some members of the cast. The Bilko Growl (3:15) is a rather cheesy song written and recorded by Silvers� son-in-law, featuring his �Bilko Growl�. A Photo Gallery includes 24 promo on-set and behind-the-scenes stills. Overall I have no hesitation in giving The Phil Silvers Show � Sgt. Bilko the highest possible rating and recommendation.

A comedy classic, the show�s constantly inventive scripts were always sharp and witty, brilliantly delivered and performed with deceptive ease by the gifted Phil Silvers and a strong supporting cast of character actors. Such is the level of the writing and professionalism in its creation that, 50 years after it was made, the series has not dated in the slightest. This is as funny today as it ever was, and remains an inspiration to many comedians. Paramount have done a fine job of presenting a selection of some outstanding episodes from the series in fine print condition, packaging them with some exceptionally rare archive footage and tributes, but there are many other classics shows missing. A complete release of such classic television is surely merited. A release of Nat Hiken and Al De Caprio�s brilliant Car 54, Where Are You? on DVD wouldn�t go amiss either. MOVIES : A Wild and Crazy Sarge : Steve Martin re-enlists in his physical comedy roots by playing the lovable scam artist Sgt. Bilko in an updated film version of the timeless TV character. - latimes MOVIES : A Wild and Crazy Sarge : Steve Martin re-enlists in his physical comedy roots by playing the lovable scam artist Sgt.

Bilko in an updated film version of the timeless TV character. August 27, 1995 |Kristine McKenna | Kristine McKenna is a frequent contributor to Calendar. and 'It used to be that television was sort of biodegradable--you did it and left it behind," observed former "Saturday Night Live" producer Lorne Michaels in "The Re Decade," an article by Tom Shales published in Esquire magazine in 1986. "Now we live in a time where nothing is ever going to go away again." Which brings us to a muddy piece of real estate in Simi Valley, where Steve Martin is starring in a new film centered on the classic TV character Sgt. Bilko. Joining the ever-growing family of TV remakes that includes "The Addams Family," "The Brady Bunch," "The Flintstones," "The Beverly Hillbillies" and "The Little Rascals," Martin's "Sgt. Bilko" reprises "The Phil Silvers Show," which began airing in 1955 under the title "You'll Never Get Rich" and introduced the Bilko character.

Chronicling the high jinks of a lovable scam artist who compulsively breaks Army rules in his quest for easy money, the series, which was created by Nat Hiken, made a star of Silvers. Needless to say, public perception of the military has changed significantly since 1959, when the show went off the air, to be followed by such series as "McHale's Navy," "Hogan's Heroes" and "MASH." However, the cast and crew of "Sgt. Bilko"--which also stars Dan Aykroyd, Phil Hartman and Glenne Headly and is being directed by Jonathan Lynn--are banking on the idea that the basic premise of Bilko is timeless. A conniving schemer who challenges the repressive forces of authority and wins, Bilko is indeed an antihero for the ages. Martin, who can also be seen this Christmas in the sequel to "Father of the Bride," has a talent for portraying freewheeling goofballs, and he seems to be having a good time playing Bilko.

On today's shooting schedule is a scene wherein several of Bilko's subordinates fall into a deep pit of mud, and Bilko blithely crosses the pit by walking on their heads. This illusion is achieved by rigging Martin to a crane, so he's not actually walking on anybody's head. Still, after every take, the actor anxiously inquires: "Is everyone OK? Did I hurt anybody?" "Steve's one of the most gracious men in the business," says Aykroyd, who developed one of "Saturday Night Live's" best-loved routines--two wild and crazy guys-- with Martin in 1977. "In fact, he's the main reason I wanted to be in this film. Of course, I was also a huge Phil Silvers fan. Of all the great comedians of black-and-white TV, he and [Jackie] Gleason were the biggest influences on me, so that was an added plus," he says of Silvers, who died in 1985. "The appealing thing about Bilko is that he ups his finger at authority, which is a message that never goes out of date," says Aykroyd, who is cast as Lt.

Hall, a character similar to one played in the television series by the late Paul Ford. "Steve puts a new spin on that because there's something sweetly mischievous about Steve, and his Bilko is infused with that quality." For his part, Martin--whose first play, "Picasso at the Lapin Agile," is slated to open Off Broadway in Manhattan in October after doing strong business at the Westwood Playhouse--doesn't exactly see Bilko as "sweet." The 50-year-old actor, interviewed in his trailer amid the clutter of books and dog paraphernalia (Martin's 6-month-old Labrador puppy, Roger, is playing outside), says his reason for signing on as Bilko was simple. "I was drawn to the role because I saw it as an opportunity to do something really broad and funny," says Martin, who has been leaning toward comedic leading man roles rather than straight comedy as of late.

"It's hard to do what Phil Silvers did, though, and while the spirit of the series is in this movie, I wanted to do more than just imitate him, so I did it my own way." Martin's Bilko is marked by the incredibly loose body language that the actor has used to great comic effect several times before. Daintily skating across the skulls of hapless colleagues who are neck-deep in mud, Martin seems to transform into rubber, his arms and legs flailing wildly as they shoot out in different directions. "It's not always obvious how much genius is at work behind Steve's performances because he makes it look so casual," says Headly, who plays Bilko's savvy girlfriend, Rita. "He really is extraordinarily gifted, though, and he has a wonderfully collaborative way of working--we had a great time making 'Dirty Rotten Scoundrels' together." Says Hartman, who appeared in Lynn's film of last year, "Greedy," and is cast here as Bilko's nemesis: "The original Bilko had a wild P.T. Barnum quality, and Steve's playing the character with a high energy you've seen in previous performances he's given.

Steve is a fantastic physical comedian, and this is him getting back to his comic roots--he does some hilarious physical things, and it's great to see it again."

Question: Which character has been played on TV by Phil Silvers and on film by Steve Martin?
Answer: Sergeant Bilko